reedmace

[kernewek]

does anyone know how to soften up the inside of reedmace (bulrush)? or how to cook it in a different manner?

harvested some yesterday and boiled it for about an hour, but it was still too tough to bite into.

however, i did make some cordage from the leaves, so not entirely a wasted exercise!

[Martin]

I'm not an expert here but I seem to remember that you only eat the fresh stems from below the water line? I'm sure someone else will be along to confirm or probably contradict shortly.

Martin

[Silverback]

Likewise Martin. Dont you actually remove it from the water and trim back the root then peel it back to expose the core eat that till it becomes woody then peel it back again...bit like heart of palm

[Martin]

Likewise Martin. Dont you actually remove it from the water and trim back the root then peel it back to expose the core eat that till it becomes woody then peel it back again...bit like heart of palm

Yup, that's what I thought.

Martin

[jbrown14]

Over here it's commonly referred to as "cattails." After a quick Wiki search, I've found that it's called a lot of things the world over...

Here's a condensed version of what I've found over the years: "The young tender shoots are edible raw or cooked. The rhizome is often very tough but is a rich source of starch. Pound the rhizome to remove the starch and use as a flour. The pollen is also an exceptional source of starch. When the cattail is immature and still green, you can boil the female portion and eat it like corn on the cob."

[Alba Albion]

Hi, I had to eat this when I went on a survival course in Wales.
The last portion of the stem which is underwater is the tasty bit. It is white so easily recognisable.
Just put the white bits onto the embers of an open fire, the outside will brown a little.
Peal back the dirty brown bits and enjoy.
When your hungry, it's wonderfull. Good for starch.
Enjoy, enjoy :-)